Malta
2023

Malta an archipelago in the central Mediterranean between Sicily and the North African coast. It's a nation known for historic sites related to a succession of rulers including the Romans, Moors, Knights of Saint John, French and British. It has numerous fortresses, megalithic temples and the Ħal Saflieni Hypogeum, a subterranean complex of halls and burial chambers dating to circa 4000 BC.

It is a member of the European Union, but not NATO.

Approaching Valletta from the sea

Valletta is an excellent harbor with a narrow, easily-defended entrance

Northern breakwater, green harbor light

Northern breakwater, green harbor light

View of harbor entrance from the northern defense battery

View of harbor entrance from the northern defense battery

View of harbor entrance from the northern defense battery

Harbor entrance - note green harbor light (north) and red harbor light (south)

Southern breakwater and Fort Ricasoli and the full moon

Southern breakwater and Fort Ricasoli

View of harbor entrance from the northern defense battery

View across the harbor from the northern battery to Fort Ricasoli

World War II acknowledgment

View across the harbor from the northern battery to Fort Ricasoli

Church of the Immaculate Conception across the harbor

Siege bell tower memorial

Siege bell tower memorial

Upper Baraka Gardens atop the harbor

Waterfront with the red dome of St George's parish church

Waterfront

Aiberge de Castille - built between 1574 and 1744, used by Castilian and Portuguese knights who defended the bastion

Auberge de Castille - now a swank hotel

Jean Parisot de Valette - French noble and master of the Order of the Knights of St John of Malta, instrumental in the founding of Valletta in the 1560s

St John's Co-Cathedral, built between 1573 and 1578, dedicated to St John the Baptist, home of Carvaggio's "Behading of St John the Baptist"

St John's Co-Cathedral

St John's Co-Cathedral

Church of St Catherine of Alexandria

The Church of Our Lady of Victory was Valletta's first church, begun in 1566

Church of Our Lady of Victory

Church of Our Lady of Victory

In the pavement in front of the Church of Our Lady of Victory

Parish Church of the Assumption of the Madonna (?)

Church of Our Lady of Liesse, built in 1740

St Publius Parish Church

Interiof of the Church of St Francis of Assisi

Courts Building

Central Bank of Malta

Central Bank of Malta

Ministry of Health

Library

Library

Stock Exchange

Post Office

St George's Square and the museum

St George's Square and the De Rohan Fountain

St George's Square and the Palazzo Verdelin (now a police station)

Fountain

There are three Semitic languages: Arabic, Hebrew, and Maltese. I have annotated words virtually the same in Arabic on some of the signs we encountered

In Arabic, it would be "taht al-balad"

Saha is the Arabic word for health (this is the Ministry of Health building)

Khubz in Arabic is bread